History BadPowersGoodPeople / VideoGames

* In ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' [[CulturedBadass Slayer]] is a very powerful [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] that sometimes drinks his wife's blood dry (in front of his foes) and the founder of the Assassin's Guild, but he used his powers only for good, even the guild originally before he retired was meant to put down evil people. After retirement (mostly in Accent Core story-line) he guides and advises other characters. Also his wife [[{{Immortality}} can't die]] so he can't suck her to death even if he wanted to. And he's a really nice guy all in all.

** Wyll is a FolkHero who is beloved by the people of the Sword Coast as the "Blade of Frontiers". He is also a Warlock whose powers were granted to him by a DealWithTheDevil, and the devil in question, Mizora, is ''NOT'' a very nice person. Wyll, on the other hand, is a compassionate young man dedicated to doing good, even with powers that come from a wicked source, and even if his patron forces him into morally questionable territory.

* ''VideoGame/RuneScape'': After the player character is forced to learn {{Necromanc|er}}y, they make a conscious effort to differentiate from their usually-evil peers by asking the dead for their assistance instead of forcing their cooperation and leaving them alone if they should refuse. While even [[TheGrimReaper Death]] himself is a bit skeptical of this approach, the dead prove to be more than willing to lend their power to the player in order to fight against Rasial, who is attempting to enslave all of the dead in order to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. After the player character defeats him, they point out to [[ThisCannotBe an incredulous Rasial]] that they won because [[ThePowerOfFriendship they did not fight alone]]. Rasial begrudginly admits that [[GoodIsOldFashioned the player's approach to Necromancy was something he never even considered trying in thousands of years]], and [[GracefulLoser concedes that this makes them the superior necromancer]].

** Similarly, when Django is turned into a vampire he becomes this. Even in spite of not being fully conscious and basically running on instinct, and even in spite of running around sucking the blood of enemies and hiding in a coffin from the sun, he ''still'' [[HeroicWillpower makes his way through a dungeon, slays the Immortal ruling it, and drags them back to the Pile Driver to purify them]]. [[spoiler:After being cured and retaining the ability to change between human and vampire at will, though, using his darkness powers too much will earn you a worse ending]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}''

** Jowan is a [[BloodMagic blood mage]], but while he does cause a few problems--most notably [[spoiler:poisoning Arl Eamon]]--he also shows regret for his actions and expresses a desire to fix his mistakes. If sent into the Fade to [[spoiler:fight the demon possessing Connor]], he will never consider making a deal. Or if told to leave, he'll [[spoiler:take on a new name for himself and help others escape the Blight.]] According to WordOfGod, Jowan was supposed to have been a companion to the PlayerCharacter, but was downgraded to just a NPC due to time shortage.

* The good-aligned Bhaalspawn in ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'', including good [=PCs=] [[spoiler:and Imoen]]. Good people... whose divine heritage leaves them capable of transforming into unholy killing machines with a burning desire to slaughter everything nearby. Even when you can keep control of the slayer form, it still dings your KarmaMeter.
** Also, there's Cernd, a druid who can transform into a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]]. In the ''Forgotten Realms'' setting, werebeasts are usually ChaoticEvil unless they find a way to control it, but Cernd is very mature and easygoing, and actually one of the most peaceful characters you can recruit. [[BewareTheNiceOnes Just don't get him angry]].

** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'' and ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow''. Soma Cruz has Dracula's main power of controlling monsters (and stealing their powers). [[spoiler:It turns out that Soma is the {{reincarnation}} of Dracula.]] It's [[MultipleEndings up to the player]] to determine whether he turns evil.
*** Genya Arikado from the same games is specifically noted to have similar dark powers to Soma, but is very strongly on the side of good. [[spoiler:He's actually Alucard under an alias--more on him below.]]

* ''Diablo''
** The Necromancers in the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' franchise are an order devoted to maintaining the BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil, but because Hell has the upper hand 90% of the time, in practice most of them are strictly heroic.

* [[CuteClumsyGirl Merrill]] of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' is a practicing [[BloodMagic blood mage]], demon summoner, and is [[BlackMage the only mage on the team incapable of healing others]]. Despite this, she's unfailingly kind, sweet, and naive, and wishes no harm to anyone, having turned to dark powers in the hopes of using them to aid her clan in regaining their lost glory. [[GameplayAndStorySegregation Outside of gameplay]], she never expresses a desire to use said demons and blood magic ''on people''; she mostly turned to those avenues for utilitarian purposes. [[DeconstructedTrope This also ties into]] Merrill's FatalFlaw. ''Merrill'' knows that she would never use blood magic for nefarious purposes, so she doesn't understand why no one is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt despite the art's long and ugly history.
** Jowan from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' is also a blood mage, but while he does cause a few problems-most notably [[spoiler:poisoning Arl Eamon]]-he also shows regret for his actions and expresses a desire to fix his mistakes. If sent into the Fade to [[spoiler:fight the demon possessing Connor]], he will never consider making a deal. Or if told to leave, he'll [[spoiler:take on a new name for himself and help others escape the Blight.]] According to WordOfGod, Jowan was supposed to have been a companion to the PlayerCharacter, but was downgraded to just a NPC due to time shortage.
** The Mage Warden can quite happily learn blood magic and run around turning enemies into messy red stains, backing this up with a heavy focus on Entropic magic (which includes spells based around fear, death, and weakness), but they can also be a FriendToAllLivingThings who tries to solve problems diplomatically, only resorting to blasting people into goo when that fails.

** Also, in the Warden's Keep DLC you can make use of the research of a Grey Warden blood mage who has learned to unlock power from the taint in a Grey Warden's blood. If you choose to do this you get a couple of nifty tricks for your character based on their class.
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' introduces Dorian, a magister who defected from Tevinter because he got tired of the corruption and slavery. Being generally kind and noble, if a bit arrogant and snarky, doesn't stop him from being a practicing necromancer, though unlike Blood Magic it isn't completely taboo so much as it is simply seen as somewhat creepy (though certain companions take issue with the idea of binding spirits to one's will).
** For a non-mage example, you can make friendly, snarky Alistair a Reaver in the first game, or play one yourself, and if you unlocked the specialisation in a previous play-through you don't even need to taint the Holy Grail equivalent with dragon blood to do so. Reavers are warriors who have powers gained from malevolent spirits which are based around creating auras of pain and drinking the souls of the slain.
* In ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'', a player can build a mage character as a necromancer and slowly become a [[OurLichesAreDifferent lich]] over time as they reach max level... and be LawfulGood all the way. In fact, it's impossible to be any moral alignment but good or neutral, though lawful and chaotic are still open.

** Blue Mages (and various equivalents) in several games can learn attacks & magics that are unique to enemies (pretty much Bad Powers by definition), but are the good guys.
*** Special mention goes to the Blue Mage in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', who are SuperSoldiers of the Aht Urhgan empire who are created by having the essence of a monster implanted in them and have to struggle to hold onto their humanity as they continue to devour monster essence to learn their spells. If they fail to hold onto themselves, they fall to the monster within and turn into a Mindflayer, with older/stronger Blue Magi in-story often throwing themselves into battles they hope will kill them or being assassinated out of fear they've become so strong that they could cause massive loss of life if they turn.

* Necromancer [=NPCs=] of ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' tend to be either morally ambiguous, or have a somewhat skewed view of right and wrong. The Master of Whispers, however, is a genuinely heroic and wise old man in charge of a secret, ancient organization dedicated to watching for and battling forces of evil. The fact that he fights using plagues, curses, and the corpses of fallen enemies is irrelevant.
** And of course, Necromancer is a valid PC class. There are no alignments, no KarmaMeter and no moral choices, so the necromancers are just as heroic as all the other players (and in cutscenes, no one seems disturbed by the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Bonehorrors, Bonefiends and Vampiric horrors]] that follow you around.)
*** See also ''VideoGame/DiabloII''.
* ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' plays this trope even more straight. The Necromancer class is still just as valid in the PlayerCharacter's hands, but there are even more necromancer [=NPCs=] that are shown to be perfectly good, heroic, and well-adjusted people who just happen to fight using plagues, dark rituals, and undead minions. A necromancer named Trahearne even serves as the BigGood in the Personal Story.
* In ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' [[CulturedBadass Slayer]] also fits. He's a very powerful [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] that sometimes drinks his wife's blood dry (in front of his foes) and the founder of the Assassin's Guild, but he used his powers only for good, even the guild originally before he retired was meant to put down evil people. After retirement (mostly in Accent Core story-line) he guides and advises other characters. Also his wife [[{{Immortality}} can't die]] so he can't suck her to death even if he wanted to. And he's a really nice guy all in all.

* Nasus in ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' is actually a good person, but uses powers considered evil. For starters, he brings ''death'', steal's people's life, gets stronger when he kills people with an attack, desecrating ground with spirit fire, and aging them to slow them down.

* A young nobleman you encounter in ''VideoGame/NieR'' fits this description. Going by the name of Emil, he's even-tempered and very gentle, but he also possesses a set of cursed eyes that instantly petrify anyone he looks at. He lives alone in a remote mansion with his faithful butler because he's afraid of accidentally petrifying anyone he gets near. Eventually, however, he finds a certain amount of joy in using his powers to aid your quest, stating directly that it's nice to be able to put them to good use for once.
** Then, later on, he [[spoiler:merges with his monstrous 'sister']] and turns into a terrifying, floating [[TheGrimReaper Grim Reaper]] lookalike, with devastating magical powers, and a face that can turn strong men pale. And he's STILL one of the nicest people you're ever likely to meet. He might accidentally destroy a few villages when he loses control of his destructive might, but he'll feel REALLY bad about it afterwards.

* Dark-types in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' are called "Evil" in Japan and their attacks largely consist of inflicting pain or simply [[CombatPragmatist cheating]]. However, it's established canon that any Pokémon is only as bad (or good) as its trainer.

* While not evil in itself, the Satsui no Hadou from ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' roughly translates as 'the surge of murderous intent'. The known practitioners are all good (Ryu and Ken), not true users (Sakura based her style off of Ryu's), have perfected it to the point where the desire to kill is suppressed (Gouken) or morally neutral (Akuma/Gouki, who is driven to be the best fighter in the world, and will not kill a weak opponent, but will not hesitate to utterly destroy a strong one).

* In ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' the Soul Eater Rune - as its name suggests - consumes the souls of friends and foes alike, but both of its known wielders are good guys through and through. At the end of the [[VideoGame/SuikodenI first game]], [[spoiler:Windy attempts to take the Soul Eater from Tir by force, but it refuses to accept her as it's master, even though, as she said herself, she was its ideal host, reveling in death and destruction, just like the Soul Eater]]. The Night Rune allows the existence of night creatures like zombies, but it's also only been used by good guys to slay vampires and such. Finally, while the Moon Rune, with its ability to bestow vampirism, has been used for evil purposes, its original bearer used it to save people who traveled into her forest and allowed the vampires she created to thrive without the need of blood.

* [[OneManArmy Ragna]] [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Bloodedge]] from ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''. He's a wanted outlaw armed with the [[ArtifactOfDoom Azure Grimoire]] and has the "Soul Eater" ability to drain health from people to restore his own. Also, his [[FinishingMove Astral Finish]] involves his {{BFS}} turning into a SinisterScythe and him turning into... [[EldritchAbomination something]] and utterly destroying his opponent right down to their [[DeaderThanDead souls]]. Despite this, he's [[DarkIsNotEvil actually]] a JerkWithAHeartOfGold. The only reason he's not a complete NiceGuy is because [[JerkassWoobie his life]] ''[[JerkassWoobie really]]'' [[JerkassWoobie sucks]].
** Naoto Kuragane of ''Central Fiction'' [[CanonImmigrant and]] ''Bloodedge Experience'' is also a pretty friendly fellow for a guy who ''[[BloodyMurder creates weapons using his own blood]]'' [[spoiler:and is also technically undead]].

* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', the Dragonborn is considered the ''ultimate'' Dragonslayer due to their ability to [[YourSoulIsMine devour the souls]] of slain Dragons to gain their knowledge and power, as well as their [[InstantExpert instant mastery]] of [[MakeMeWannaShout the Thu'um]] which allows them to [[RealityWarper reshape reality]] to their will. Over the course of the game, they learn Dragons Shouts that allow them to freeze or ignite enemies, tear their souls out or bend them [[MoreThanMindControl to their will]].

* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': Ereshkigal, Sumerian Goddess of the Underworld, is portrayed this way. Being a death goddess, her powers tend to revolve around death, disease, cold, etc. She is also often shown with souls being placed in cages. Ereshkigal herself, however, is actually a caring and dutiful goddess who genuinely wants the souls under her dominion to be happy. Those cages are actually comfortable housing, despite their appearance. The event focusing around Ereshkigal is all about how she desperately wants to do nice things and make the Underworld of Kur a nice place, but absolutely none of her divine powers enable her to actually do that.

*** The ''Endwalker'' expansion introduces the Reapers, a group of assassins armed with {{Sinister Scythe}}s who've [[DealWithTheDevil made a contract with the Voidsent]] in exchange for being able to draw upon [[CastingAShadow the powers]] [[YourSoulIsMine of said fiends.]] As Voidsent are {{Life Drain}}ing abominations native to the void, a world shard that was swallowed by a tide of darkness, you may expect the Reapers to be monsters who just happen to fight worse monsters at best... In actuality, they were just simple farmers (hence the scythes) who made the deal with the Voidsent out of desperation in order to be able to defend themselves against TheEmpire. Also, ''you'' [[Characters/FinalFantasyXIVMeleeClasses can become a Reaper]], making you the edgiest saviour of the world in the entire ''Final Fantasy'' franchise.

*** Special mention goes to the Blue Mage in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', who are SuperSoldiers of the Aht Urhgan empire who are created by having the essence of a monster implanted in them and have to struggle to hold onto their humanity as they continue to devour monster essence to learn their spells. If they fail to hold onto themselves, they're fall to the monster within and turn into a Mindflayer, with older/stronger Blue Magi in-story often throwing themselves into battles they hope will kill them or being assassinated out of fear they've become so strong that they could cause massive loss of life if they turn.